Meat cleaning apparatus



March 18, 1958 J. 1.. SMITH 2,826,772 I MEAT CLEANING APPARATUS Filed March- 14, 1955 2 Sheet s-Sh'eet 1 INVENTOR.

, John L. Smith BY WHITEHEAD a VOGL' PER V7? ATTORNEYS 1 March 18, 1958 J. L. SMITH MEAT CLEANING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 14 1955 Fig. 4

INVENTOR. John L. Smith BY WHITEHEAD a VOGL Mi ATTORNEYS Fig. IO

ito

MEAT CLEANING APPARATUS John L. Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Application March 14, 1955, Serial No. 493,907

Claims. (Cl. 15-3.17)

This invention relates to butchering equipment and apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for the preparation of cuts of meat for display and marketing purposes, the primary object of the invention being to provide novel and improved apparatus and equipment for cl'eaningand conditioning meat cuts preparatory to packaging such cuts or placing them in a counter for display.

is convenient in a production line pattern where the properly chilled meat is moved through band saws to be cut int-o steaks, roast and the like and thence to packaging facilities. Band saws in many instances substantially replace the knives and skill of the butcher.

While the band saw technique provides uniform cuts of steak and roasts, the appearance of such cuts is not always desirable, as the cut surface may be rough and there'is always a certain amount of bone chips, fat particles, shavings and the like which are deposited across the faceof the cut by the meat saw. Such chips and particles are actually ground or irnbedded into the sur faces of the cuts. These particles not only detract from the appearance and eye appeal of a meat cut but are also deleterious to the flavor of the meat and impair its taste and quality. -Meat cuts are ordinarily wiped by hand but this is time consuming and not effective to remove ground-in particles. Hence, there is a real and definite need for means which are operative to remove the particles from meat cuts after they are sawn and generally to condition .and improve the appearance of such cuts. With such in view, the present invention was conceived and developed and comprises, in essence, a novel and improved apparatus adapted to brush particles from a cut of meat, and sequentially to condition the surface of the meat cut to provide a smooth, neat appearance.

'Itfollows that further objects of the invention are to provide such novel and improved apparatus for cleaning and conditioning the surface of meat cuts and particularly saw-cut meat, which: (a) removes particles embedded in the surface of the meat; (b) conditions the surface of the cut to a smooth, neat appearance; (c) is a lightweight, portable unit suitable for custom work but is also adapted for use in a production line and may be installed in such production line without interfering with other conventional operations; (d) cleans and conditions the meat cuts. without the use of water and in an absolute minimum of time; and (e) is easy to use, safe, sanitary,

I States Patent 0 i Patented lVlar. 18, 1958 neat in appearance, and of an economical, rugged and durable construction.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, all of which more fully hereinafter appear, my invention comprises certain novel and improved constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts and elements as hereinafter described in detail, and as defined in the appended claims, and illustrated in preferred embodiment, in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is an isometric view of the apparatus set up and ready for use, with broken lines indicating an arrangement of feeding and receiving tables which may be used in connection with the apparatus.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown at Fig. 1, but on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section as viewed from the indicated line 33 at Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a transverse section as viewed from the indicated line 4-4 at Fig. 2.

Figure 5' is.a fra'gmentary sectional detail as viewed from the indicated line 55 at Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail as viewed from the indicated line 6- 6 at Fig. 4.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary isometric view of a portion of the grille and smoothing elements as from the indicated arrow 7 at Fig. 4 but on an enlarged scale.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional detail as viewed from the indicated arrow 8 at Fig.. 7, but showing an alternate construction thereof.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional detail as viewed from the indicated arrow 9 at Fig. 7 but showing another alternate construction. 7

Figure 10 is a fragmentary plan view similar to Fig. 2'but showing yet another alternate construction thereof.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, my improved meat-cut cleaner includes a rectangular, horizontally-disposed directive table T which may be formed as a grille of longitudinally disposed bars 15 held in spaced parallelism and in a common plane by transverse end bars 16 and a transversely underlying intermediate rigidifying bar 17. This table T is adapted to receive a meat cut at one end and the bars 15 will control and restrict the movement of the cut longitudinally across the table as in the direction of the indicated arrow A at Fig. 1, the somewhat pliable quality of the 'meat permitting the surface thereof to yield at the contacting edges of the bars 15 and thereby permit the bars to function as supporting guides on the surface of the table. In a production line, this table may be arranged between a supply table S and a receivingtable R, in any desirable manner to facilitate longitudinal movement of meat cuts in a normal manner upon the bars 15, shown as broken lines at Fig. 1. I

This table T is mounted upon a base B which is formed as a flat-bottomed, horizontally-disposed, prismatic shell 18 positioned transversely underneath the table and having upwardly-extending box-like piers 19 and 19a, at the ends thereof. The table T lies between these piers and is attached to the piers as by clips 20. This base B carriers cleaning elements hereinafter described, and it is therefore positioned near the discharge end of the table to provide a substantial area at the receiving end thereof whereon a meat cut may be laid and thence moved onto and over the cleaning elements as it is discharged across the table. a t

The .shell '18 is preferably trapezoidal in section, including a comparatively wide bottom plate 21, upstanding end plates 22 and upwardly converging side plates 23 and 23a. The piers 19 and 19a are formed by a continuation of the end plates 22, opposing inner wall plates 24, relatively narrow side wall plates 25 and top plates 25 to form enclosed box-like units. The shell 18 and piers 19 and 1911 may be made of sheet metal or the like of suitable rigidity, and in any conventional manner.

A waste pan 27 is mounted upon thetop of the-side plates 23 to closely sit between the inner walls '24 of the piers 19 and 19a and is shaped as a rectangular flatbottomed unit having upstanding Walls 28 of sufiicient height to hold a reasonable charge of crumbs, chips and other particles during operation of the unit. This pan is preferably removable and is further adapted to be securely locked in position upon top of the shell 18. For such locking there may be a latch 29 near the top of one side plate 23 which is adapted to contact a hook 30'on the pan wall 28 thereabove. The bottom of the pan along this edge of the side plate 23 restsupon aninwardly turned top edge 31 of the plate. The opposing side of the pan may be looked upon the side plate 23a in a similar manner or may be provided with a lip 32 outstanding from its lower edge which fits underneath an inwardly turned lip 33 of sideplate 23a and upon brackets 34 attached to the side plate under the lips.

The cleaning elements over which a meat cut moves in its passage across the table include a pairof brush rollers 35 and 35a which, are mounted in spaced parallelism and extend between the piers 19, with the ends ofthe rollers extending into the pier s through orifices 37 in the pier-inner-wall plates 24 and into mounting bearings 36 within the piers. These rollers 35 and 35a lie underneath the table T and closely thereto, and include brushes 38 which radially outstand fromthe rollers in a suitable helical array, being spaced in such a manner as to move between the bars 15 of table T to reach slightly beyond the upper surface of the/table and contact the surface of a meat cut moving across the table. A single helical row of brushes is shown in the drawing, but it is within the contemplation of the invention to provide for other rows of brushes if necessary, the number of rows of brushes being related to the speed of rotation of the rollers. To provide for effective cleaning it is necessary that the brushes move quite rapidly and one or two rows of brushes will be ordinarily sufficient for apparatus of normal dimensions adapted to handle ordinary cuts of meat.

The rotation of the brushes is effected by a motor 39 which is mounted within the base B upon the bottom plate 21 with its drive shaft 40 lying in spaced parallelism with the rollers 35 and 35a with the motor at one end of the base so that the drive shaftis underneath the pier 19a. A pulley 41 is connected to this motor drive shaft 40 in line with another pulley 42 on a shaft extension 43 of the roller 35 alongside the mounting bearing 36. A drive belt 44 upon the pulleys operatively, interconnects roller 35 with the motor 39 with the direction of rotation being such that the brushes 38.move from the table and downwardly towards the centenof the pan 27 between the rollers.

The opposing roller 35a is adapted to rotate ,the opposite direction and is operatively interconnected with the roller 35 by intermeshing spur gears 45 and 45a which are mounted upon shaft extensions 46 of the respective rollers within the pier 19a" alongside the mounting bearings 36.

To complete the construction of the base provided suitable handles 47 on each end plate 22 and a switch 48 at a suitable location such as on an end plate 22 for starting the motor 39.

After starting the motor and with the brushes rotating towards the center as in the direction of the indicated arrows C and D at Fig. 3, a cut of meat is laid upon the receiving end of the-table and moved thereacross. The undersurface ofthis meat is thereby cleaned.

by the rotation of the brushes with the particles. brushed therefrom being thrown into the pan 27. The rotation of the brushes striking the meat surface tend to work, heat and soften this surface making it temporarily pliable, for ordinarily cut meat is chilled until it is'quite B, there is istiff. This temporary pliable quality is taken advantage of to iron the surface of the meat smooth after it has been brushed clean. The ironing means comprise a group of inclined, closely spaced, transversely-disposed, smoothing bars 49 which are set in the table .bars 15 near the discharge end of the table beyond the brushes, with the faces of the bars being inclined upwardly in the direction of the meat cut movement and sufficiently above the table surface to provide for a positive contact of the meat with the surfaces and especially with the top corners 5 3 of the bars. After a meat cut is moved past these bars it may be reversed and the opposite side of the cut cleaned and conditioned by the bars. It is then ready for packaging or display.

Several alternate constructions to this meat cleaner are anticipated. Referring to the construction illustrated at Fig. 8, the smoothing bars 49 may be together and there may be a flexible, pointed upstanding member 51 made of such materialas moderately stiff rubber or plastic which functions to work the meat surface before smoothingby the rigid bars 49. Referring to the construction illustrated at Fig. 9 the table may be formed as bars 15' which have a relatively wide bearing surface or contacting heads 52 to prevent the meat cuts from being scored by the movement across the bars. Further altermate and equivalent constructions are also possible.

Referring to the construction illustrated at Fig. 10, the bars 15 of the table are offset between the rollers as at 53 to permit the brushes 38 of the trailing roller 35' to sweep across the lines of contact where a meat cut would rest upon the bars 15 as they commence their move ment across the table and thereby completely clean off all particles which would otherwise remain upon the meat cut at the lines of contact at the bars. To assure disengagement of particles from the brushes, a cleaning bar 54 may bepositioned at the top of the pan between the brushes which cause the brushes to snap as they move past it and forcibly direct the particles into the pan, all as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

It is obvious that others skilled in the art can devise other alternate and equivalent constructions which are within the spirit and scope of the invention, and hence, ithis my desire that my protection be limited, not by the constructions illustrated and described, but only by the proper scope of the appended claims.

I claim: V

1.A mcat-cutcleaning apparatus comprising, in combination, a table formed by a plurality of longitudinally disposed supporting guides adapted to support a meat cut andto" direct the movement of the meat cut longitudinally across the table from a receiving end to a discharging end, rotatable brushing means transversely disposed underneath the table. near the discharging end thereof adapted to move upwardly between the guides and against the surface of a meat cut placed thereon to brush suet, bone particles and the like from the surface of the meat cut, and a transversely disposed flat bar upon the guides betweemthe brushing means and the discharge end having a longitudinal corner edge with the face of the bar being inclined upwardly in the direction of meat'cut movement and with said corner forming a top edge over. which the meat cut is drawn.

2. A meat-cut cleaning apparatus comprising, in combination, a table formed by .a plurality of longitudinally disposed supporting guides adapted to support a meat cut and to direct. the movement of the meat cut longitudinally across thetable from a receiving end to a discharging end, rotatable brushing means transversely disposedunderneath the table near the discharging end thereof adapted to move upwardly between the guides and againstthesurfaceof a meat cut placed thereon to brush suet, bone particlesand the like from the surface of the meat cut, and a plurality of transversely dis posed flat bars mounted upon the guides between the brushing means and the discharge end with the faces of the bars being inclined upwardly in the direction of meat cut movement.

3. A meat-cut cleaning apparatus comprising, in combination, a table formed by a plurality of longitudinally disposed supporting guides adapted to support a meat cut and to direct the movement of the meat cut longitudinally across the table from a receiving end to a discharging end, rotatable brushing means transversely disposed underneath the table near the discharging end thereof adapted to move upwardly between the guides and against the surface of a meat cut placed thereon to brush suet, bone particles and the like from the surface of the meat cut, and a bar transversely disposed upon the guides between the brushing means and discharge end formed of flexible resilient material having a normally upstanding yieldable top edge.

4. A meat-cut cleaning apparatus comprising, in combination, a table formed by a plurality of longitudinally disposed supporting guides adapted to support a meat cut and to direct the movement of the meat cut longitudinally across the table from a receiving end to a discharging end, rotatable brushing means transversely disposed underneath the table near the discharging end thereof adapted to move upwardly between the guides and against the surface of a meat cut placed thereon to brush suet, bone particles and the like from the surface of the meat cut, and a transversely disposed flat bar between the brushing means and discharge end having a longitudinal corner edge with the face of the bar being inclined upwardly in the direction of meat cut movement 6 r and with said corner forming a top edge over which the meat cut is drawn.

5. A meat-cut cleaning apparatus comprising, in combination, a table comprising a plurality of longitudinally disposed supporting guides adapted to support a meat cut and to direct the movement of the meat cut longitudinally across the table from a receiving end to a discharging end, rotatable brushing means transversely disposed underneath the table near the discharging end thereof adapted to move upwardly between the guides and against the surface of a meat cut placed thereon to brush suet, bone particles and the like from the surface of the meat cut, and a transversely disposed flat bar beyond the guides and between the brushing means and discharge end having a longitudinal corner edge with the face of the bar being inclined upwardly in the direction of meat cut movement and with said corner forming a top edge over which the meat cut is drawn.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 972,690 Goble Oct. 11, 1910 1,361,068 Karro Dec. 7, 1920 1,567,693 Allen et al Dec. 29, 1925 1,670,809 Hormel May 22, 1928 2,234,813 Tomaino Mar. 11, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 944,470 France Nov. 2, 1948 

